


Skating

by Indig0



Series: Neighboring Kingdoms [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Medieval AU, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Winter, former battlemage RK900
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25088530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indig0/pseuds/Indig0
Summary: On a cold winter day, Simon and Rook meet Daniel to go skating on the river.  Even after two years Rook doesn't feel like he's really been accepted as part of the town, but he's working to change that.(from the prompt: Things they do when it's cold outside, from Archadian Skies)
Relationships: Daniel & Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Daniel & Upgraded Connor | RK900, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Simon
Series: Neighboring Kingdoms [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581010
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	Skating

“It won’t be quite as cold now that the sun’s had a chance to warm things up a little,” Simon murmured, digging in the closet for winter clothes.

“It will be... more crowded now,” Rook pointed out quietly.

“We don’t have to stay if it’s too crowded,” Simon assured him, pressing a set of warm purple woolen mittens, scarf, and hat into his hands. “We can see how it looks and then decide if we’re going in. I did tell Daniel I’d bring his blades, though.”

Rook nodded silently, and they both bundled up and locked the inn behind them.

Most of the snow from the night before had been cleared away, and the streets were less crowded than usual as they moved through town. Rook couldn’t help focusing on the people they passed, though. After the peace treaty, both kingdoms were slowly accepting their neighbors being around. There was a scuffle now and then, but mainly over misunderstandings and fear. He, of course, had never been involved. The level of fear surrounding him was different.

He had lived here for two years now, helping Simon with the inn, cooking meals, serving food and cleaning rooms, offering his help when it was needed. And people had mostly relaxed. But when he came around a corner silently they didn’t see the man who made the interesting stew or the one who politely thanked them for coming. When he wasn’t actively practicing the shy smile he’d worked on in the mirror, they didn’t see the innkeeper’s quiet but polite partner who mostly stayed in the kitchen but helped with anything he could, and would whisper in Simon’s ear to make him smile, who would occasionally wrap Simon in his arms and rest his head on the shorter man’s, even in the dining room. When they turned to find him behind them suddenly in the market they didn’t even see the Eastern King’s younger brother.

They still saw who he still saw - the Reaver, death and terror personified, cold and cruel and merciless. And Simon assured him that they were getting better, that they just needed time, but it was hard to believe him.

Still, with Simon pressed close to him, arm looped through his and talking as they walked, it was a little easier.

“Daniel was saying he’d like to have us over to see his new place some time - it’s much nicer than that room he was renting over the bakery, it’s right up against the old wall and it’s got room for a couple of classrooms.”

“Is he going to start... a larger school?” Rook asked. “Hire more teachers?”

“I think he’d like to eventually, but for now he’s just thinking of guest speakers.”

“I’m glad he was able to move back.”

“So am I, I’ve really missed him.”

Rook gave Simon’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Since he’s in town now, I know Connor would like to see him again the next time we can plan to meet.”

“That sounds nice!” Simon smiled, nodding to another couple who paused upon seeing them, and then hurried on their way.

The river had been frozen over for a few days, and the bank had been filled with benches and vendors selling hot drinks and snacks. Daniel stood leaning on a hastily constructed fence, eating some twists of dough covered in cinnamon. Simon waved, and he came over to meet them. Simon pulled away from Rook momentarily to hug him, and then to hand him his old skating blades.

“I was just telling Rook we need to go see your new house soon!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice.” Daniel smiled a bit, then glanced up to nod at Rook. “You two staying to skate? Do they make blades that big?”

Simon shoved Daniel gently. “He’s not a giant, he used yours last year!”

Daniel gave an exasperated sigh. “Thanks, Simon. Glad I can trust you to take care of my things.”

“You weren’t using them.” Simon grinned and went back to wrap an arm around Rook. “What do you think? It doesn’t look too bad.”

Rook looked out over the frozen river. There were people skating, pushing each other on chairs and tarps, and sliding around. But it looked like it should be easy to avoid them, and Simon obviously wanted to skate. “...All right.”

Simon smiled and pulled him over to a woman who was renting out skate blades. Her eyes widened a little at the sight of Rook, but she did have blades that were more his size than Daniel’s had been.

“It’s been a while, so let’s start slowly,” Simon suggested.

“See you,” Daniel said, zipping around them to glide out over the ice, making graceful loops around the other skaters.

“He just likes to show off,” Simon muttered, rolling his eyes. “Once he gets more used to living here, he won’t care as much.”

Rook hadn’t been as graceful as he’d hoped last year, but he tried to find the motion again, the right way to hold his feet, the right length to extend his legs. It felt different with blades of the proper size, and a move that should have been safe set him tripping over his own feet.

“Easy!” Simon laughed, skating up to him and grabbing a flailing hand. “Take it slow, you’ll get it. Skate with me for a while?”

Rook frowned deeply and nodded, straightening up. He held tight to Simon’s hand and they began a slow loop of the skating area.

“There’s a rope across it just south of town,” Daniel called, looping lazily around them. “Looks like the ice gets thinner down there. Probably fine to the north, though.”

“Be careful!” Simon called as he headed that way.

“He’s very good at this,” Rook murmured.

“We skated every year growing up.” Simon smiled. “...And he’s always been the more talented one.”

“Not true at all.”

“You’re just biased.” Simon laughed.

“I - that doesn’t make me wrong.” Rook looked up from the ice, so he missed the groove his blade hit. He flailed and tried to save himself, and Simon made a grab for him, but he ended up flat on his back on the ice, pulling Simon down on top of him laughing breathlessly.

“I - sorry, are you okay?” Simon asked when he was able to stop laughing.

“Cold,” Rook muttered. “I’m all right. Are you?”

“I had a soft landing.” Simon grinned and cupped his cheek briefly with a dark green mitten.

When he sat up awkwardly, he realized most of the other skaters had stopped to stare. A few had fled the ice.

“Hey,” Simon murmured, rubbing Rook’s head gently. He had looked around too, and looked concerned. “You’re okay. But we can leave if you want.”

“Ready to give up on that skating career of yours?” Daniel yelled across the ice, skating right towards them with his hands cupped in front of him.

“Daniel, stop!” Simon shrieked.

A snowball hit Rook right in the shoulder, bursting all over both of them.

“Make me!” He shot off again, laughing.

They managed to get to their feet and start skating again, and slowly activity resumed around them. People still gave them a wide berth, and even wider when Daniel came back again with another snowball. Rook was ready the third time though, and with a gesture sent the snowball looping back right into Daniel’s face. Daniel sputtered, Simon laughed, and Rook smiled. They were all grinning when they finally picked their way back to the bank, cold and wet and tired.

“You didn’t have to pick on him,” Simon muttered to Daniel as they sat to take off their blades.

“No, but I did anyway,” Daniel replied with a shrug. “Anyway, it’s good for him. Right?” He elbowed Rook.

“I... I think you may be right, actually,” Rook murmured. “Though it benefited you at least as much as me.”

“I never said it didn’t.” Daniel grinned. “Everybody sees me getting away with shit like that with you, they think I must be pretty impressive. And they see you taking it from a shrimp like me, not blowing up or turning me inside out with your mind, and they think maybe you’re not so scary.”

“Yes,” Rook agreed, smiling a bit. “Thank you.”

Daniel patted his shoulder. “Any time you need someone to make you look like a fool, just come find me. And if your brother’s in need, I’d do the same for him.”

“I think he would... appreciate that,” Rook murmured, his smile growing. “And I’d quite like to see it as well.”

They stopped for some hot chocolate after returning Rook’s blades, and a crowd of skaters swarmed around them as they paused to drink.

“You fell down more than me today, I counted!” yelled a little boy in a puffy blue coat, pointing up at Rook.

“I - I’m sure you’re -”

“I only fell two times, and you fell four times, I saw!”

“Ah - you’re right.”

“Where’d you learn to skate like that?” a young woman asked Daniel.

“You keep practicing, son, you’ll get the hang of it,” said an old man, smiling up at Rook. “You and your young man come back tomorrow, you’ll do better.”

“You’ll be skating circles around that showoff in no time,” added the woman selling hot chocolate.

Rook was shy of the attention, but leaned into Simon and spoke hesitantly while Daniel preened nearby.

“Aren’t you the guy who makes the spicy stew at the inn?” asked a girl, frowning up at Rook.

“I am!” he replied, his smile brightening. He hugged Simon tightly with one arm, and Simon hugged him back.


End file.
